Virus killing off carp at Lake Wohlford

Fishermen at Lake Wohlford are being asked not to handle any carp they catch
due to a virus and bacterial infections that have killed a few hundred carp in
a little more than a month.

Jay Cowan, supervising ranger at Wohlford, said it appears the worst of the
die-off is over, but until results of the bacteria tests are back he wants
fishermen to avoid handling carp.

Cowan said the outbreak hasn't affected fishing for other species at the
lake. Wohlford's trout opener is six weeks away, but this won't impact that,
either, he said.

“During the peak of it we were finding 25 dead carp a day, but that was
three or four weeks ago,” Cowan said. “We called the Department of Fish and
Game, and they got on it right away.”

Carp are considered “junk fish” by many, but a dedicated group of anglers
target them. Carp also have become popular among fly fishermen at lakes such as
Hodges and Morena.

The DFG sent three dead carp it collected from Wohlford to UC Davis. Dr.
Ronald Hedrick, chief of the UC Davis School of Veterinarian Medicine and Fish
Health Services, said the carp died from a koi herpes virus, one that is not
transferable to humans and only affects wild carp and koi or pet fish.

There was a similar outbreak among carp in the Colorado River and a handful
of other California freshwater fisheries, said DFG environmental scientist Dan
Schrimsher.

Dr. Mark Okihiro, a senior fisheries pathologist with the DFG, said the
virus started in domestic koi but has spread to wild populations of carp.

Okihiro said the virus can't jump to other fish like bass, trout or catfish.
He said the koi virus likely was transported to the wild carp when someone
dumped an aquarium with sick pet fish into freshwater.

Okihiro said the three fish sent to UC Davis had bacterial infections,
likely a result of the koi herpes virus weakening the fish's immune systems.
Officials want to make sure these bacterial infections won't affect humans.

Noteworthy

Lake Wohlford Café: Phyllis and Smokey Kamps, owner of
the Lake Wohlford Cafe, are gathering food items to give to military families
for Thanksgiving. Take a bag or box of food to the lake restaurant and receive
a 10 percent discount on your order.

Turkey Hunting Clinic: Just in time for the start of fall turkey
hunting Nov. 14, the DFG and the San Diego Chapter of the National Wild Turkey
Federation are teaming to host an all-day clinic – “How, When, Where to Hunt
Turkeys” – Saturday at the DFG's Jamul Ecological Reserve at 14715 State Route
94 (the old Daly Ranch). Cost is $40, with kids 16 and under free when
accompanied by a paid parent or guardian. The clinic goes from 8:30 a.m. to 5
p.m. Register online at dfg.ca.gov/huntered/advanced or call (916) 358-4356 or
Bob Fusco at (619) 507-7990.